Cuba Costa Rica

Updated 2026-06-01

Cuba

Minimum Wage

$MN12.12 /hr

$0.03 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

$MN6,649 /mo

Costa Rica

Minimum Wage

₡1,554.55 /hr

$3.04 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

₡620,000 /mo

Min wage: -99% Cuba vs Costa Rica Avg. salary: -99% Cuba vs Costa Rica

The minimum wage in Cuba is roughly 103 times lower than in Costa Rica in USD terms, reflecting the gap between a upper-middle-income and a upper-middle-income economy. Average gross salaries diverge further: $16/mo in Cuba versus $1,211/mo in Costa Rica, a 74.7:1 ratio. Cuba has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 1.8% compared to 6.8%.

Cuba's unemployment rate is 1.8% compared to Costa Rica's 6.8%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Cuba and Costa Rica
Metric	Cuba	Costa Rica	Diff
Minimum wage /hr	$MN12.12 $0.03	₡1,554.55 $3.04	-99.0%
Minimum wage /mo	$MN2,100 $5.12	₡373,092.42 $728.70	-99.3%
Minimum wage /yr	$MN25,200 $61.46	₡4,850,201.46 $9,473.05	-99.4%
Avg. gross salary /mo	$MN6,649 /mo $16.22	₡620,000 /mo $1,210.94	-98.7%
Avg. net salary /mo	$MN6,300 /mo $15.37	₡508,400 /mo $992.97	-98.5%
Median individual income /yr	$MN48,000 /yr $117.07	₡4,680,000 /yr $9,140.63	-98.7%

Percentage differences are based on USD equivalent values. Positive means Cuba is higher.

Work Week

Cuba: 44 hrs/wk standard

Max 44 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.25x pay

Labour Code sets standard working hours at 8 hours/day and 44 hours/week. Overtime is paid at 125% of normal rate. Some sectors work 40 hours/week.
Costa Rica: 48 hrs/wk standard

Max 48 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.5x pay

Labour Code sets maximum ordinary workday at 8 hours (daytime) and 6 hours (nighttime), with 48-hour weekly maximum for day shifts and 36 hours for night shifts. Mixed shifts max at 7 hours/day (42/week). Overtime paid at 150% of regular rate (50% premium). In practice, many formal sector jobs work 40-45 hours.

• WAGE TRAJECTORY (USD/hr)

Cuba Costa Rica Source: wage.is · USD equivalent/hr

Year	Cuba (USD)	Costa Rica (USD)
2005	$0.55/hr	—
2019	$0.98/hr	$591/hr
2020	$0.98/hr	$619/hr
2021	$5.12/hr	$631/hr
2022	—	$658/hr
2023	—	$682/hr
2024	—	$707/hr
2026	—	$729/hr

What This Means for Workers

A minimum wage worker in Cuba earns 10171% less per hour in USD terms than one in Costa Rica. Standard work weeks differ: Cuba mandates 44 hours while Costa Rica mandates 48 hours. A minimum wage worker's weekly earnings in Cuba are $1 vs $146 in Costa Rica.

See this comparison from Costa Rica's perspective: Costa Rica vs Cuba

Compare Cuba with...

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Cuba or Costa Rica?

In Cuba, the minimum wage is $MN12.12/hr ($0.03 USD). In Costa Rica, it is ₡1,554.55/hr ($3.04 USD). Costa Rica has the higher rate by 10171% in USD terms. That nominal gap does not account for local prices; see the purchasing power comparison below for a cost-of-living-adjusted view. Workers in Cuba may retain a larger share of their earnings if prices there are lower.

How much less does the average worker earn in Cuba compared to Costa Rica?

The average gross salary in Cuba is $MN6,649/mo ($16.22 USD), compared to ₡620,000/mo ($1,210.94 USD) in Costa Rica. In USD terms, workers in Cuba earn approximately 7367% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Cuba and Costa Rica is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Costa Rica earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in Cuba.

How do work hours compare between Cuba and Costa Rica?

Costa Rica has a longer standard work week at 48 hours, compared to 44 hours in Cuba. Workers in Cuba work 44 hours per week by law. Longer mandatory hours can offset a nominally higher wage; a worker in Cuba working fewer hours may have comparable or better effective hourly earnings depending on the wage levels of each country. Total annual compensation depends on both the wage rate and the number of hours required.